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Thoughts on System 6 onPress() for watch faces

FlowState
over 2 years ago

I read the 4.2.0 beta SDK docs for WatchFaceDelegate.onPress() and modded the Analog sample to try it out.

I feel like the feature has a lot of potential in theory but it's purposely designed to be limited to complications, due to the fact you can only detect a press-and-hold, not a tap. If you could detect taps, you could build a something cool like a stopwatch/watchface (a chronograph), or a watchface that responds to taps in various ways (like changing data fields/screens). Of course this can still be done in theory, it just won't be as user friendly (in the case of the chronograph idea, it's probably not worth doing if you can't detect quick taps).

This kind of reminds me of the on-device settings feature for watchfaces and data fields - since you can push any kind of view you want for your settings view, you'd think this would be a great way to support a "secondary UI" in your app that supports full input handling. Or your top-level settings view could still be a menu (as the user would surely expect), but some of your menu items could lead to screens with non-settings functionality.

Unfortunately, since the settings view doesn't respond to WatchUi.requestUpdate() or update itself automatically, it's pretty useless for displaying any kind of live data. You can only change the screen in response to input. It would've been so cool to be able to implement something like a scrollable lap list as a secondary UI for a data field, for example. The only way to do this today is very hacky and user-unfriendly -- everything lives in the same data field view, and you switch "pages" by detecting when the user quickly switches back and forth to your data field's page.

I get that it's all by design tho. This does seem to point to a future where every new Garmin device has a touchscreen. It would be nice, as long as all the quirks and idiosyncrasies are ironed out. (Like I noticed that 955 users are complaining that they don't have quite the same touch functionality that Fenix/Epix users get, especially for the map screen.)

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  • over 2 years ago

    hi,

    in my opinion and way to use my Garmin, this is a good thing that "action" can only be triggered with tap/hold from a watchface,

    It would prevent thing to happen accidentaly.

    But I guess there is as many opinion/way to use as users.

    For me, the watchface is a "screen saver", not an application, of course it will be a good thing that an app will be able to be opened directly from a watchface, to take your exemple about stopwatch,

    You could do it, but first tap/hold = start, 2nd = stop, 3rd= reset, or even better, tap/hold to open a stopwatch app, which will provide more function.

    But yes, this tap/hold on wathcface will be a great thing.

  • over 2 years ago in reply to Shent-Aurkhan (SHN)
    Shent-Aurkhan (SHN) said:

    For me, the watchface is a "screen saver", not an application, of course it will be a good thing that an app will be able to be opened directly from a watchface, to take your exemple about stopwatch,

    You could do it, but first tap/hold = start, 2nd = stop, 3rd= reset, or even better, tap/hold to open a stopwatch app, which will provide more function.

    Yeah, I was thinking of the Apple Watch Chronograph watchface. There's two buttons in the upper/lower right hand corners. The top button is start/stop and the bottom button is lap/reset (depending on whether the stopwatch is currently running). The total time is displayed at the top of the face and the lap number/time are displayed at the bottom. The other thing it does is refresh a lot faster than 1 Hz in high power mode.

    A chronograph is a real kind of mechanical watch, too.

    (Yes, I realize Apple doesn't let 3rd party devs create watchfaces, so Garmin is nicer in that regard.)

    Also, the fact that people have asked for CIQ stopwatch widget/glances proves that there is demand for a stopwatch that is easily accessible from the watch face. The next logical step is to have the stopwatch on the watchface itself.

  • over 2 years ago in reply to FlowState

    unfortunatelly we don't have access to the buttons since they are used for shortcut etc.

    lol why always comparing Apple and Garmin, they are not same things at all,

    it is like you are comparing Aircraft and Helicopters, they are both great but in their domain.

    according to my needs, an AW is totally useless, when I do my job, I don't have ac plug.

    Even if AW is more beautifull, user friendly etc, it will turn off after 1 day... and I "need" my device to run at least 5days,

    (even if it is an "help" not my primary source. 

  • over 2 years ago in reply to Shent-Aurkhan (SHN)
    Shent-Aurkhan (SHN) said:
    unfortunatelly we don't have access to the buttons since they are used for shortcut etc.

    Yeah, I meant on-screen buttons which can respond to a tap (that's why I thought it would be nice to be able to handle input other than long press.)

    Shent-Aurkhan (SHN) said:
    lol why always comparing Apple and Garmin, they are not same things at all,

    I realize that, but it's because Apple has a rep for caring about usability and they're a lot more successful in terms of marketing IMO. From a personal POV, I find Apple products a lot more enjoyable to use than Garmins. A Garmin is a very useful tool which has several annoying usability issues, countless bugs, and a few features that aren't worth using because of these bugs (like mapping on 945 LTE - panning is useless.) Unfortunately, you're right -- an AW can't replace a Garmin for me because of the things Garmin has which Apple currently doesn't and probably never will (5 buttons, built-in offline navigation, comprehensive running/sports platform, a focus on being able to use all the important features on the watch itself with no internet connection, etc.)

    I don't need to convince the average person that an Apple Watch is cool, but a non-runner or even a casual runner will not understand why I wear a Garmin. Even if I try to use a simple analogy like "Garmin is to Apple Watch like Kindle is to iPad", they don't get it.

    And again, when I see ppl discussing Garmin -- especially outside of these forums -- the biggest complaints are UI/UX and bugs.

    I obviously don't need to justify my usage of a Garmin device to anyone, but I do want to see them stick around, since there's several things they do which are pretty unique. I also have a vested invest in seeing them improve in the short term since I spend money on their products and use them every day.

    Honestly my dream device would be some kind of Garmin / Apple hybrid, but that would be impossible for many reasons. The AW Ultra is a step in the right direction, but way too big and heavy, and still not on par with Garmin for some very simple use cases (imo).

    Speaking of usability, just look at these forums. Garmin didn't develop them but they did choose them. Not only are there usability issues (especially on mobile), there's bugs and quirks that will never be fixed. Kinda funny bc Garmin's forums reminds me of Garmin products in a way.

    EDIT: I will also point out that DC Rainmaker covers Apple Watches for a reason: there's interest.

    EDIT2: Speaking of bugs which ruin what should be useful features:

    https://forums.garmin.com/outdoor-recreation/outdoor-recreation/f/epix-2/315404/all-the-data-fields-changed-randomly-when-using-touch-to-edit

    Every company's products have bugs and limitations but Garmin seems to be in a class of its own.